Our Blog

How to Get Your Team to Start Thinking Strategically

October 5th, 2017

Regardless of whether you use internal hiring methods or work with leading employment agencies in Avon Lake, teaching your team to have a strategic mindset provides numerous benefits. It makes your company better equipped to deal with limited resources and reach to a quick-changing environment. Your business may also be more adept at thinking competitively and focusing on how to promote growth throughout the organization.

Get Mission-Oriented

When your goal is to have everyone thinking more strategically, it’s important that your entire team is focused in the same direction. To facilitate this goal, work to make sure all employees are aware of the organizational philosophy, primary mission, and overall values. This ensures your workforce knows where the company is trying to go, making it easier to keep everyone on the same page.

Focus on the Big Picture

To promote strategic thinking, you need to look toward the future. This is simpler when everyone is aware of the big picture, so sharing details about these overviews is vital. Help your employees see beyond the day-to-day by providing information that helps them associate their duties with larger missions and goals, including overviews of your customer base, industry, competitors, and more.

Create a Mentorship Program

When you are trying to build skills of any kind, having an experienced mentor can guide the process, so you can achieve better results. Pair employees who are already strong strategic thinkers with those who have the potential to improve in this area. As the two work together, the mentee will be able to pick up certain skills and characteristics that help them think strategically. And, over time, the mentee may be able to mentor someone else to do the same.

Use a Rewards System

Most companies are reasonably adept at rewarding employees for strong results, but many don’t apply the same principles to reinforce positive behaviors associated with strategic thinking. If a person or team comes up with a creative idea should be acknowledged and recognized, even if the solution ultimately doesn’t work out. That way, they’ll be encouraged to keep thinking strategically, making it more likely that an innovative idea will later be shared.

Open the Door to Questions

Whenever an idea is presented, team members should be able to ask thoughtful questions that help them determine whether the solution can work and its potential impact. By creating a safe space that encourages constructive feedback, they gain valuable information and insight, and can craft options that are more likely to succeed. In most cases, these inquiries should be focused on the “why,” “when,” and “how” aspects of the idea, as well as assessments of who may be impacted if they go forward.

By using the tips above, it is possible to forge a team full of strategic thinkers who aren’t afraid to take appropriate risks and share creative ideas. This positions your company to experience the many advantages of having such minds on your workforce and can help you separate yourself from your competitors.

Are You Looking to Add Strategic Thinkers to Your Workforce?

Vector Technical Inc. is a leading employment agency in Avon Lake that supports local businesses by assisting them as they work to lower hiring costs, recruit top talent, and improve retention rates. Let our skilled staff find you the ideal candidate for your open positions the first time. If you are interested in adding a strategic thinker to your team, request an employee today.